NEOWISE returns first test images post hibernation

NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) has sent back the first test images from its 16-in (40-cm) telescope and infrared cameras as it is prepared for its new mission. Intended to seek out potentially dangerous asteroids and help in selecting a near-Earth object as part of the space agency’s asteroid retrieval effort, NASA says NEOWISE will be a powerful tool for discovering, cataloging and understanding the asteroids in the inner Solar System... Continue Reading NEOWISE returns first test images post hibernation

Section: Space

Tags: Asteroid, NASA, NEOWISE, Solar System, Space telescope, Spacecraft, WISE

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Year of the drone: Gizmag's top UAV stories for 2013

Although aerial drones been around in one form or another since World War I, it hasn’t really been until the last decade that they’ve really taken off, so to speak. Where they were once restricted to a spot of battlefield reconnaissance, in addition to military applications, drones are now used for everything from agriculture to oil prospecting and by everyone from rescue workers to real estate agents. Although the technological advances and proliferation of drones has accelerated over the past decade, 2013 was the year that the technology really entered the public consciousness. So let’s have a look back at Gizmag’s pick of the top drone stories of 2013... Continue Reading Year of the drone: Gizmag's top UAV stories for 2013

Section: Aircraft

Tags: Aircraft, Amazon, Autonomous, Drone, Quadcopter, Reconnaissance, Remote Control, Surveillance, UAV, US Navy, VTOL

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MIT develops new technique for measuring mass of exoplanets

A team of MIT researchers has described a new method for finding the mass of exoplanetsby studying the spectra of light passing through the planet's atmosphere. Because a planet's mass can tell us a lot about its potential for harboring life, this development could provide an important tool in solving the puzzle of whether or not we're alone in the universe... Continue Reading MIT develops new technique for measuring mass of exoplanets



Section: Space

Tags: Exoplanet, Extraterrestrial, MIT, Space telescope

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From solar-powered to hypersonic, a look at the top five aeronautical stories of 2013

It’s almost 2014 and time for a bit of aeronautical reflection as we look back at what records were broken, which new prizes were won, and what new technologies promise us a hypersonic, jet-packed, solar-powered future of aviation and innovation. So let’s have a glance at Gizmag’s pick of the top five aeronautical achievements of 2013... Continue Reading From solar-powered to hypersonic, a look at the top five aeronautical stories of 2013

Section: Aircraft

Tags: Aircraft, Autonomous, Boeing, Drone, Jetpack, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Photovoltaic, Solar Impulse, Solar Powered, UAV, Unmanned, X-47B

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Mini John Cooper Works Concept to debut at NAIAS 2014

The holidays are a time for stocking stuffers and BMW has given us one with a hint of what’s to come in the new year. On Monday, the car maker announced that it would present the new Mini John Cooper Works concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2014, running January 13 to 26 in Detroit. Since we’re getting just a taste of what is still a concept, there aren’t a lot of details and BMW is keen to talk more about style than engineering, but we do get a bit of an idea of what this track-oriented concept is about. .. Continue Reading Mini John Cooper Works Concept to debut at NAIAS 2014

Section: Automotive

Tags: Aerodynamics, BMW, Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show 2014, MINI

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Gaia launches on cosmic census mission

A cosmic census got under way this morning as ESA’s Gaia mission lifted off atop a Soyuz–Fregat from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana at 9:12:19 AM GMT (10:12:19 AM CET). The 2,030 kg (4,475 lb) unmanned probe is at the start of a five-year mission to carry out a survey of one percent of one percent of the 100 billion stars that make up our galaxy as part of a project to produce the most detailed three-dimensional galactic map ever attempted... Continue Reading Gaia launches on cosmic census mission

Section: Space

Tags: ESA, Gaia, Galaxy, Launch, Spacecraft

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Google’s Schaft robot takes top spot at DARPA Robotics Challenge

Leave it to DARPA to turn disaster relief into a competitive sport for robots, and for Google to walk away with the prize. On Saturday, 16 robotics teams from around the world competed in the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials for 2013, as part of DARPA’s project for developing robots capable of autonomously navigating disaster areas and doing useful work using tools and materials at hand. The two-day event was streamed live on December 20 and 21 from Florida’s Homestead Miami Speedway. Google’s Schaft humanoid robot scored 27 points and won first place as it navigated an obstacle course which was made to simulate a disaster area, while carrying out a series of tasks. .. Continue Reading Google’s Schaft robot takes top spot at DARPA Robotics Challenge

Section: Robotics

Tags: Competition, DARPA, DARPA Robotics Challenge, Disasters

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NASA develops MacGyver snorkel for astronauts

Putting a snorkel on a space suit seems about as daft as making water wings for a meerkat, but that’s exactly what NASA has done. It isn’t some bureaucratic error, but a serious piece of life-saving engineering inspired by an incident in July, when an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) almost drowned in his own helmet when water started leaking in. Now faced with urgent repairs due to a faulty cooling system, NASA has come up with a quick fix, so a team can venture outside the station in safety while the cause of the leak remains under investigation. .. Continue Reading NASA develops MacGyver snorkel for astronauts

Section: Space

Tags: Astronauts, Cooling, ESA, International Space Station, NASA, Safety, Space Suit, Spacewalk

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NASA's LLCD tests confirm laser communication capabilities in space

This week, NASA released the results of its Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration’s (LLCD) 30-day test carried out by its Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) that is currently in orbit around the Moon. According to the space agency, the LLCD mission proved that laser communications are practical at a distance of a quarter of a million miles and that such a system could perform as well, if not better, than any NASA radio system... Continue Reading NASA's LLCD tests confirm laser communication capabilities in space

Section: Space

Tags: Communications, Goddard Space Flight Center, LADEE, Laser, Moon, NASA,Spacecraft, Transmission

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Taking a peek at the Royal Navy's next nuclear-powered ballistic missile sub

On Monday, Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) released a concept image of the Royal Navy’s next ballistic nuclear missile submarine, currently called the Successor class, as part of an update to Parliament on the progress of the Trident replacement program. This coincides with the award of two contracts to BAE Systems Maritime-Submarines for £47 million (US$76 million) and £32 million (US$60 million) to begin preliminary design work on the nuclear-powered submarines, which are intended to replace the Navy’s aging fleet of of Vanguard-class boats by 2028. .. Continue Reading Taking a peek at the Royal Navy's next nuclear-powered ballistic missile sub

Section: Military

Tags: BAE Systems, Image, Rolls-Royce, Royal Navy, Submarine, Trident

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Where no man had gone before: The 45th anniversary of Apollo 8

When the first astronauts landed on the Moon, it wasn’t a straight jump from Earth to the lunar surface on the first try. Instead, the first footsteps only came after a long series of preliminary steps, one of which was a manned orbital mission to the satellite. This December 21st marks the 45th anniversary of the day in 1968 when Apollo 8 lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and into history as the first manned mission to orbit the Moon. It not only paved the way for Apollo 11, but is also seen by some as a greater achievement than the Moon landing itself... Continue Reading Where no man had gone before: The 45th anniversary of Apollo 8

Section: Space

Tags: Anniversary, Apollo, History, Moon, NASA

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NASA testing lighter space suits for asteroid work

Sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forward. NASA is carrying out initial tests on a new, lighter spacesuit for use by the crew of the Orion spacecraft that is currently under development. The tests are being carried out in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory near the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on a modified version of the pumpkin orange suit normally worn by Space Shuttle crews during liftoff and re-entry and is a return to a space suit design of the 1960s... Continue Reading NASA testing lighter space suits for asteroid work

Section: Space

Tags: Asteroid, International Space Station, NASA, Space Suit, Testing

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Juno sends back "starship" view of Earth while ham radios say "Hi"

If you want to have a starship captain’s view of flying past the Earth, then NASA is happy to oblige. This week, the space agency released a video made of images taken by the Junospace probe as it shot past our planet last October. The unmanned spacecraft was using the Earth’s gravity to build up its velocity by over 8,800 mph (14,100 km/h) and slingshot it on its way to Jupiter. And as it did so, it took the time to receive a “Hi” from ham radio operators back home. .. Continue Reading Juno sends back "starship" view of Earth while ham radios say "Hi"

Section: Space

Tags: Earth, Juno, Jupiter, NASA, Radio, Spacecraft

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DARPA ready to deliver telescope to watch the skies for space debris

In order to dodge something, you need to see it. If that something is space debris then sometimes the best thing to use is an old-fashioned telescope – or, in the case of the US Department of Defense, a state-of-the-art telescope capable of searching an area larger than the United States in seconds. That’s why DARPA is preparing to deliver the new Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) to Western Australia, where it will help track small satellites and space debris orbiting the Earth when it becomes operational in 2016... Continue Reading DARPA ready to deliver telescope to watch the skies for space debris

Section: Space

Tags: Australia, DARPA, Debris, Orbit, Space Junk, Spacecraft, Telescope

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Mars One outlines plans to put unmanned lander on Mars in 2018

The nonprofit Mars One foundation is mainly known for trying to recruit people who really, really want to go to Mars. That redundant "really" is because it's a one-way ticket to the Red Planet for life. But now, Mars One is looking at something a bit less dramatic. On Monday, it was revealed that Lockheed Martin, and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) have been selected to carry out concept studies for a Mars lander mission in 2018 as a prelude to colonization... Continue Reading Mars One outlines plans to put unmanned lander on Mars in 2018

Section: Space

Tags: Lockheed Martin, Mars, Mars One, Spacecraft, SSTL

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Curiosity dates rock, finds potential good news for astronauts and search for life

The chances of life having once existed on Mars got a boost this week alongside good news for astronauts on any future expeditions to the Red Planet. Six papers from Curiosity team members presented to the autumn meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco revealed that they had directly dated their first Martian rock, gave details of an ancient lake where life may once of existed, and found new evidence about the radiation hazards that explorers and colonists may one day face... Continue Reading Curiosity dates rock, finds potential good news for astronauts and search for life

Section: Space

Tags: Curiosity Rover, Geology, Life, Mars, Mars Science Laboratory, NASA,Radiation

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DARPA developing giant folding space telescope

DARPA has announced planes to use a foldable plastic lens to “break the glass ceiling” of space telescopes. It’s part of the agency’s Membrane Optical Imager for Real-Time Exploitation (MOIRE) program, which aims at replacing conventional glass optics with lightweight polymer membranes that may one day make possible a foldable plastic orbital telescope 20 m (65 ft) wide that will be capable of seeing a medium-sized dog on Earth from 36,000 km (22,000 mi) away... Continue Reading DARPA developing giant folding space telescope

Section: Space

Tags: DARPA, Folding, Space telescope, Telescope

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ESA's to launch mission to study elusive gravitational waves

Mark your calendars for 2034, because that is when science is set to get a whole new spectrum to play with when the European Space Agency (ESA) launches its eLISA mission. Consisting of a constellation of three spacecraft flying in precise formation, eLISA will study gravitational waves in a manner that may one day revolutionize our understanding of the Universe... Continue Reading ESA's to launch mission to study elusive gravitational waves

Section: Space

Tags: Astronomy, ESA, Gravity, Imperial College, Spacecraft, Universe

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Rolls Royce to design ship that carries fish as passengers

Building a ship to carry fish as passengers may seem like a phenomenal case of missing the point, but Rolls-Royce has signed a £5.8 million (US$9.5 million) contact to design and equip one that does just that. The live fish carrier will be built by Turkey's Tersan shipyard for the Faroese salmon farming company Bakkafrost as a way to carry fish from their pens to the processing plant... Continue Reading Rolls Royce to design ship that carries fish as passengers

Section: Marine

Tags: Fish, Rolls-Royce

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US Navy launches drone from submerged submarine

Today, the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) announced that it had successfully launched a drone from a submerged submarine. The all-electric eXperimental Fuel Cell Unmanned Aerial System (XFC) was launched in the Bahamas from the Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Providence (SSN 719) using a system that allowed the drone to be deployed without modifications to the boat, or requiring it to surface. .. Continue Reading US Navy launches drone from submerged submarine

Section: Military

Tags: Drone, Launch, Submarine, UAV, US Navy

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SpaceX launches first geostationary payload

Three’s a charm, they say. On Monday, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) met success with its third attempt at launching the SES-8 satellite into geosynchronous orbit. At 5:41 PM EST, the Orbital Sciences GEOStar-2 commercial telecommunications satellite lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida atop an upgraded Falcon 9 launch vehicle. This marks SpaceX’s first geostationary transfer mission... Continue Reading SpaceX launches first geostationary payload

Section: Space

Tags: Launch, Satellite, SpaceX

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Limited edition Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar unveiled

Volvo’s S60 and its V60 variant don’t exactly have a reputation for being exciting, but that hasn't prevented the Swedish carmaker from trying to infuse a bit of dash into the line. The company handed the compact executive and the estate wagon over to its Polestar Racing division and the results were unveiled last Thursday at the world première of the S60 and V60 Polestar. This limited edition is not only based on the Volvo S/V60, but also the C30and S60 concept cars, and the Australian S60 Polestar, and are part of an extended Polestar production model range... Continue Reading Limited edition Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar unveiled

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Tags: Cars, S60, Volvo

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Blue Origin test fires its new BE-3 hydrogen/oxygen rocket engine

NASA announced on Tuesday that Blue Origin had successfully test fired its new BE-3 hydrogen/oxygen rocket engine at the company’s West Texas facility in Van Horn. The test, which took place on November 20, was a series of static firings to simulate the engine sequence of an actual suborbital flight from lift off to landing and is part of the development of Blue Origin’s manned Orbital Launch Vehicle for carrying passengers and cargo into low Earth orbit... Continue Reading Blue Origin test fires its new BE-3 hydrogen/oxygen rocket engine

Section: Space

Tags: Blue Origin, Engine, Hydrogen, NASA, Rocket, Spacecraft, Test, Testing

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India's MOM Mars probe sent on its way

After a month spent jockeying about in Earth Orbit, India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) is finally on its way to the Red Planet. According to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the unmanned spacecraft fired its main engine on Sunday at 12:49 AM (IST) and completed the firing 22 minutes and 8.89 seconds later, completing the Mars orbit insertion that will see it arrive in orbit around Mars in September of next year... Continue Reading India's MOM Mars probe sent on its way

Section: Space

Tags: India, ISRO, Mars, Mars Orbiter Mission, Spacecraft

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Levorg concept: Subaru's new Legacy

Subaru has given the world a look at where its Legacy car line is going with the world premiere of its new Levorg concept car at the 2013 Tokyo Motor. The concept, which stands for “Legacy,” "Revolution,” and “Touring,” is designed to combine practicality and sports car handling in a Sport tourer concept which is expected to hit the Japanese market next year... Continue Reading Levorg concept: Subaru's new Legacy

Section: Automotive

Tags: Concept Cars, Subaru, Tokyo Motor Show 2013

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